JPS63117218A - Flow rate detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a compact apparatus showing good detection accuracy even in a low flow rate region, by mounting a sphere generating whirling motion by a vortex stream in a vortex chamber and electrically detecting the number of rotations of the sphere by the detection circuit unit provided outside said chamber. CONSTITUTION:A fluid penetrates into a vortex case 3 at a certain flow speed from the inflow port 1 provided to the outer periphery of said case 3 in the tangential direction thereof. Then, the fluid becomes a vortex stream while whirls along the inner wall of the vortex chamber 4 to flow to the outflow port 5 provided to the center of the bottom surface of the case 3 in the vertical direction thereof and a sphere 2 takes a whirling track almost in proportion to the flow rate of the fluid. The number of rotations of the sphere 2 are detected by a detection circuit unit 9 to be taken out to the outside as an electrical pulse signal. Since the fluid penetrating does not directly impinge against the sphere 2 so far as the inflow port 1 is provided to the region above the upper surface 2a of the outer periphery of the sphere 2 to restrict the change in the flow of the fluid penetrating to a slight quantity generative in usual, the stable detection of a flow rate is performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flow rate detection device for detecting the amount of fluid flowing in a flow path.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of flow rate detection device has been designed as shown in FIG. That is, the fixed impeller 1 provided in the flow path 10
a swirling means for swirling the fluid in an axial flow; a sphere 12 made of a magnetic material that is located in the swirling flow and swirls in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction; outflow prevention means such as a sphere receiver 13 to keep the sphere from flowing out, and a detection means 14 for detecting the number of revolutions at which the sphere 1-2 rotates.
This flow rate detection device is characterized by the fact that there are no magnets, etc. in the fluid, so there is no problem such as iron powder, etc. contained in the fluid adhering to it and increasing flow resistance. It is highly reliable, and in terms of characteristics, it is suitable for flow rate detection in a relatively large flow rate range (approximately 31/win or more).

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with the above configuration, the flow rate is relatively low (approximately 0.
3 to 21/win), the detection accuracy is poor, and
In terms of structure, there were limits to miniaturization, making it difficult. That is, it had the following two problems.

1) Detection accuracy in low flow area is poor.

2) The structure is relatively large, and the number of parts is large and complicated.

Therefore, it has been difficult to employ this method in small devices that require flow rate detection in a low flow rate region or require a small space, such as sanitary cleaners.

Therefore, the present invention focuses on low flow rate range (approximately 0.3 to 2 A/win).
The present invention aims to provide a flow rate detection device that has good detection accuracy in flow rate detection, has a small number of parts, has a simple configuration, and is compact.

Means for Solving the ProblemsThe technical means of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a spiral case whose horizontal cross section is circular and has an inlet in the direction tangential to the outer circumference of the circle, and a spiral case of the spiral case. A detection device is provided with a vortex chamber that generates a swirling flow in the fluid by an outlet provided perpendicularly to the center of the bottom surface, a sphere that orbits inside the vortex chamber by the swirling flow, and a spherical body provided outside the vortex chamber. The circuit unit electrically detects the number of revolutions at which the sphere orbits.

action The effect of this technical means is as follows.

Since the inlet is provided in the horizontal direction tangent to the outer circumference of the spiral case, the fluid that enters from the inlet becomes a spiral flow while going around the inner peripheral wall of the spiral chamber, and flows to the outlet located vertically in the center of the bottom of the spiral case. At this time, the sphere placed in the swirling flow is swept away by the fluid and goes into orbit. The rotational speed of the sphere as it orbits can be electrically detected by the detection circuit unit.

Embodiment Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a flow rate detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a cross section of FIG. 1.

The spiral case 3 has a circular horizontal cross section, and the inlet 1 is provided in the horizontal direction (H direction) tangent to the outer circumference of the circle. The inner circumference 1& of the inlet 1 is in contact with the upper surface 3a of the spiral case 3 and the inner circumferential vertical wall surface 3b of the spiral case 3 without being stepped. 05 is the center of the bottom surface of the spiral case 3. This is an outlet provided in the vertical direction (V direction), and the upper edge 6a of the outlet 5 is arranged so that a sphere 2 made of a magnetic material such as stainless steel and having a smooth surface is orbited by a spiral flow. What is included is an O-ring to keep the fluid flowing.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a guide post that protrudes from the center portion 3c of the upper surface of the spiral case 3 to prevent the sphere 2 from fitting into the outlet 6, and also serves to promote the swirling motion of the fluid flowing in from the inlet 1. .

Note that the vertical positional relationship between the inlet port 1 and the sphere 2 is the outer peripheral upper surface 2 of the sphere 2! It is provided one minute above the inlet from L.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a detection circuit unit for detecting the rotational speed of the sphere 2 as it orbits the spiral chamber 4 and converting it into an electrical pulse signal, and is attached to the outer wall 3d of the spiral case 3.

Next, the operation of the configuration of this embodiment will be explained. Fluid enters the swirl case 3 at a certain flow rate through the inlet 1 provided in the tangential direction of the outer circumference, and turns into a swirl flow while circulating around the inner wall of the swirl chamber 4. At this time, the sphere 2 provided in the swirling flow orbits in approximately proportion to the flow velocity of the fluid that has entered. That is, the sphere 2 orbits in proportion to the flow rate of the fluid entering from the inlet 1.

The rotational speed of the sphere 2 as it orbits can be detected by a detection circuit unit and output as an electrical pulse signal to the outside.

Furthermore, the state of the flow of the fluid that has entered from the inlet 1 is not always a constant steady flow, but may be a pulsating flow depending on the situation at the time. In this embodiment, in order to avoid sensing such normally occurring changes in the state of the fluid flow, in the vertical positional relationship between the inlet 1 and the sphere 2, the outer peripheral upper surface 2! The inlet 1 is provided above L.

Therefore, if there is a slight change in the flow state of the fluid that has entered through the inflow port 1, which normally occurs, the fluid that has entered through the inflow port 1 will not directly hit the sphere 2, so there is no need to worry about it. Stable flow rate detection is possible.

FIG. 6 shows the characteristics when water flows through the flow rate detection device of this embodiment, the vertical axis is the flow rate Q (7!/min) of water passing through the swirl case 3, and the horizontal axis is represents the rotational speed f (Hz) when the sphere 2 orbits.

Note that this characteristic curve can be changed depending on the purpose of flow rate detection.

For example, by reducing the inner diameter d1 of the inlet 1, the flow velocity increases even though the same flow rate passes through, so the number of revolutions when the sphere 2 orbits also increases, and its characteristics change from the solid line A to the broken line shown in FIG. It becomes like a mouth. Also, the inner diameter of the spiral case 3 that the sphere 2 contacts when orbiting, and
By setting the inner diameter d2 of the outlet 6 to an appropriate size, various characteristics can be obtained, and therefore, the flow rate detection can be used for various purposes.

Effects of the Invention The present invention generates a swirling flow in a fluid by a spiral case having a circular horizontal cross section and an inlet in a direction tangential to the outer circumference of the circle, and an outlet provided vertically at the center of the bottom surface of the spiral case. A vortex chamber is provided, and a sphere is installed inside the vortex chamber so as to orbit within the vortex chamber due to the swirl flow, and a detection circuit unit provided outside the vortex chamber electrically detects the number of revolutions at which the sphere orbits. It has a simple configuration with very few parts, and is not only capable of detecting the flow rate in a small flow rate range (0.3 to 2 l/win), but also detecting the inner diameter of the inlet and the spiral case. By setting the inner diameter and the inner diameter of the outlet to appropriate dimensions, it can be used for flow rate detection for various purposes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a flow rate detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the person in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a characteristic diagram of the same flow rate detection device, Figure 4 is a side sectional view of the same flow rate detection and sounding device, and Figure 6 is a diagram of the conventional flow rate detection device. FIG. 1... Inflow port, 2... Sphere, 3...
...Vortex case, 4...Vortex chamber, 5...
...outlet, 9...detection circuit unit. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person! −
--Light X Mouth Figure 1 2-Sphere 3---Ra! Case Fig. 2 H+ Fig. 3 °C Core 41 q Fig. 5

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A spiral case having a spiral chamber with a circular horizontal cross section and an inlet in the direction tangential to the outer circumference, an outlet provided vertically at approximately the center of the bottom surface of the spiral case, and an outlet in the spiral chamber. A flow rate detection device comprising: a sphere provided therein, and a detection circuit unit provided outside the spiral chamber to electrically detect the number of revolutions at which the sphere orbits. (2) The flow rate detection device according to claim 1, wherein the inlet is provided at an upper position of the spiral chamber and at a position higher than the outer diameter of the sphere.